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Option agreements for land in Colne

Before you agree an option agreement on land near Colne, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.

Options are the usual way to bring larger sites forward. They let us invest in planning while you keep ownership and the use of your land.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • We fund the planning work

Selling land near Colne?

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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Where Colne sits

Colne lies in Lancashire, roughly 23 miles east of Preston. Nearby, we also look at land around Nelson (2 miles), Burnley (5 miles) and Accrington (11 miles).

Farmland on the coastal plain, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape inland, and green belt around Preston, Blackpool and the east Lancashire towns.

TownColne
CountyLancashire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBB8
OS grid squareSD84
Nearest towns we coverNelson (2 mi), Burnley (5 mi), Accrington (11 mi)
Distance from PrestonAbout 23 miles east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOption fee now, price when the option is exercised
Planning costsOurs, sometimes recoverable from the price
Two people in outdoor jackets walking along a hedgerow, one pointing across the field

Who an option agreement works best for

  • Larger fields and blocks on the edge of towns and villages
  • Land being considered in a local plan review
  • Owners happy to wait several years for a higher price
  • Sites with technical issues that need time to resolve

An option can capture more of your land's value where it needs a long planning journey, but the details matter. We explain every term before you commit.

How the money works

Option fee

A payment on signing, which you usually keep even if the option isn't exercised.

Purchase price

Often a percentage of market value with permission, less agreed costs.

Deductions

Which planning and infrastructure costs come off the price before you're paid.

Exercise triggers

What has to happen before we can buy.

How a sale works

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Lancashire

Planning framework

Planning decisions in England follow the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026, and the local plan, prepared by the council or, in a national park, the park authority. Plans are reviewed periodically, which is when new housing sites are usually allocated.

Section 106 and CIL

Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.

Common problems, and how we handle them

You want to be sure we'll actually pursue planning

Agreements can include obligations to use reasonable endeavours and set milestones.

You'd like your advisers' costs covered

Many option agreements include a contribution to the landowner's legal and agent costs. We'll tell you if ours does.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Common questions

What is an option agreement?

A contract that gives the buyer the right to buy your land within a set period, usually after planning permission is granted. You receive an option fee now and the purchase price if the option is exercised.

How long do options last?

It varies with the site. Several years is typical for land needing local plan allocation, often with extension rights.

What's the difference between an option and a promotion agreement?

Under an option the buyer has the right to buy the land. Under a promotion agreement a promoter gets permission and then sells the land on the open market, taking a share of the proceeds. We offer options, not promotion agreements.

Can you visit land near Colne?

Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.

Get a straight answer about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.